The Age of Guardians: The Story of Fireteam Kronyz
by Wolfy Loveland
Summary: A Fireteam of Old and New Guardians, brought together thanks to the horror that is the Fallen; they'll fight through the Darkness and come out into the Light, but how many will survive, and how many will succumb to the Darkness and the challenges it brings?
1. Chapter 1

Author Note: Woo, boy, this is going to be fun. My first attempt at a proper Fanfiction in years, requested by a good friend of mine (If you're reading this, YOU'RE WELCOME. And also, sorry it sucks so bad) and posted here to give you all something to enjoy. As always, Destiny and its associated characters are owned by their respective companies, I'm just the owner of the tall shit-stain of a Hunter. The rest are owned by the respective friends that sent me their OC's. (On that note, hey, anybody who wants a character thrown in, pass me information on them (Age, Height, Race, Gender, Class, and Super (Get creative with the Supers, I know I have)) and I'll work them in where appropriate) Hope you all enjoy my fun times in the world of Destiny! (PS. Pardon any mistakes you see. I have no one to look over this, and I'm not the best at this just yet. Doesn't help I'm running on no sleep. Also, for those who may have noticed, yes this _is_ also on Archive of Our Own. Good spot!)

Chapter One

Old Russia was known to be hell, even back before the world became a ruin. That hadn't changed in the centuries before, and certainly didn't change now. Luna knew that best of all considering her little brother had contracted a fever that became dangerously close to lethal in the past few days their nomadic group had traveled.

The only stroke of luck was that up ahead was a small camp with a handful of crates, possibly holding much needed medicine. Luna hated the thought of stealing, but it was a necessary evil to save her brother. There hadn't been someone in the camp for two days. It had to be abandoned. Right? A few more steps into its perimeter and those crates would be hers. Fear of discovery was not on her mind. After all, if by some miracle the camp's owner showed up, the scout rifle in her hands, and the dozen members of her group with their own weapons, could take a measly traveler. Or so she thought. Nothing ever reached her ears until a shadow fell over her, cast by the weak rays of the sun peeking through the clouds above, and a deep voice reverberated the air surrounding her.

"Is there a reason you're sneaking into my camp with a weapon in hand? I'd hate to think you're on a mission to kill me, for some misunderstood bounty."

In a flash she made the attempt to spin, maybe even threaten whoever snuck up on her, but there was no one there! "Sorry, can't have you pointing that gun in my direction until I know what's what. State your business."

That voice sent a shiver down her spine. "I-I'm just passing through."

The laughter was even deeper than the voice and shook her bones. "Yes, just passing through; slinking through my camp like a thief in the night. A thief with about...twelve people surrounding the area. One of which is breathing rather hard. Probably sick, possibly life-threatening."

Each word chilled her. How was it possible for him to know that? "One last chance. I don't want to harm anyone, but I don't feel like getting shot right now. What are you doing in my camp?" There was no way to lie to the man. She'd have to be honest, and hope to still receive help.

"My name is Luna, my brother has a fever and can barely do anything; he can't even move properly, let alone breath. We found your camp and thought some medicine might have been left behind in the crates." A hum vibrated in her ear.

"Fair enough. Call your friends out, and bring me the boy. I'll gather the necessary medicine." She didn't know how, but she knew the moment the man stepped away, vanishing into the tent with one of the crates.

A single note whistle signaled her 'family' to come down, one of the older members reaching her first, Johnathon. "The camp isn't empty, there's a man here. He says he'll give us medicine for Matthew." He didn't even question it, simply motioned to another man, who came and brought her brother to them. The sound of the tent rustling snapped her head around. Finally, she'd get a good look at the man.

The sight brought a feeling of awe. Emerging from the tent, was a Guardian! A Hunter, specifically, who stood up and towered over any one of them. The man had to be at least seven feet tall! From head to toe, his armor was as white as the snow they could see off on the distant mountains, with swirls of dark blue held within it. No cloak adorned his shoulders, giving her the chance to see his helmet unobstructed. It was curved and horns sprouted on both sides to curve inwards, small ornaments dangling from them. A soft glow radiated from it. How in the world had the man snuck past them? The only weapons she could spot were a pair of hand cannons, one on each hip, and a knife on his chest over his heart. "This the boy?" A silent nod gave his answer.

Matthew was only eight, and the Hunter seemed to have an air of sadness around him when he knelt down with a small cup in hand. "This will taste disgusting, but it will help you." Matthew drank it like a champ, making Luna smile. Like magic, the medicine went to work immediately. His skin was a few shades lighter and his breathing wasn't so ragged.

"I don't have enough to get rid of the fever completely. The Tower will have far better medicine. Looks like I'll be leading you all to the City." Heads turned in shock; this man, who had been about to be robbed by them, was already planning to help them traverse the dangerous lands? "It should only take another day or two at most, but I can get you there safely. I'd radio in for ships, but the Tower is busy with a festival, and I doubt I'd be able to acquire enough ships."

"A festival?" "Yes. It's called Crimson Days; people give others gifts and spend time together with the ones they care for." Luna's eyebrow shot up. "Then why are you out here? Is there no one to give a gift to?" Again there was that bone shaking laughter. Noticeably, the others felt it just like her. "The opposite. Too many people. I give whatever gifts I can to the people I know, but I do so dislike receiving them, thus I come out into the wild for a week or two, until the festival is long forgotten." A low sigh escaped the Hunter's mask. "Unfortunately for me, we'll make it there before the end of the Festival. Perhaps I'll be able to slip out before I'm noticed." The last part wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but Luna shook her head.

Within minutes the camp was packed up, the crates vanished into whatever mysterious space Guardians always seemed to store things, and the tent roll was strapped onto his lower back. To the surprise of everyone, he even scooped Matthew up into his arms.

"I'll carry him, keep an eye on my six and I'll lead the way."

The trek wasn't as rough as expected but the whole group made good time with the Hunter leading their way. Within a few hours they had cut through areas they'd never have discovered on their own. Soon the distant lights of the City were in their sights, with the Traveler hanging above it. "We'll stop here for the night. We made better time than I estimated. We'll continue in the morning."

The tent was set back up for him, and Matthew was given the sleeping space. After they were settled in, the Hunter disappeared into the trees and came back with a bundle of wood, quickly, and efficiently, making a large campfire for them. The roaring fire relaxed the group, the majority already setting up their own sleeping rolls. The only person other than her that didn't immediately prepare for sleep was Johnathon, who took up position next to the Hunter, who seemed ready to keep a post to watch over them. "We can't thank ya enough for the help, Sir. I don't think we would have made it as far as we did in just a day." "I don't need thanks. It's my job to protect the people. Plus, I'd never forgive myself if I hadn't offered to get you there." Even if he didn't look in the direction of the tent, Luna knew what he was implying. Some kind of guilt lived inside him. Johnathon was the one to look that way. "Still, awfully glad ya did." He offered his hand. The Hunter took it and gave a single shake before he stepped back. "Get some rest. I'll keep first watch for tonight."

Luna's eyes snapped open. She didn't remember falling asleep, and especially didn't remember getting ready for bed, but she was laying in her sleeping roll, with a bundle of cloth under her head. The Hunter was standing in the same spot she last remembered him in. Had he kept watch all night for them? The answer came in the form of Johnathon huffing in annoyance.

"Thought you'd wake me up to trade places." "You all needed rest, I didn't. Simple as that. Once everyone is up, gotten some food in their bellies, then we'll make for the City. Once there, I'll take Matthew up to the Tower for medicine. If you want, you and his sister can accompany me so he isn't alone." "I'm sure she'd like that."

Even while they ate, including Matthew who they fed what little soup they managed to keep, the Hunter didn't move an inch from his post. One of the women in the group took him a bowl of their gruel, but he politely turned it down, stating he ate shortly before they woke. Soon enough they were on the move, in the same positions as before. The walls of the City soon met them, and to their surprise they could see a few guards, civilians, not Guardians, patrolling it. One spotted them and called down, the gates opening to admit them. The guard that spotted them called down when they passed through. "How many groups you gonna bring in man? This makes what, twelve?"

"Fourteen. A good number for this week." Fourteen?! Just who was this man, if he was going out to escort groups like hers? "Help them settle in, and make sure they don't get separated. I've got to take the child up to the Tower to get medical attention." "Can do." Johnathon and Luna matched his pace towards the Tower in the distance. At the base was a handful of doors, but the Hunter led them to the one furthest on the left, an elevator, and they flew skywards. In a matter of seconds they were stepping out into a world of wonder.

Luna could see why the festival was called Crimson Days; beautiful reds and pinks were all around them, from the trees, to banners and lights, even the vendors' stalls were painted a deep red. Other Guardians of all colors zoomed back and forth below them when they stepped out into the plaza. "We'll have to check in with Ikora; she'll be able to assess the child's health. If he needs something more, she'll direct us from there."

They slipped past the bustling Guardians, and down the steps into the Tower itself. Passing a strange woman, hunched over an orb, Luna heard the Hunter call out to her. "Greetings Eris, enjoy the present I left?" She visibly perked up, her voice almost a hiss at first. "I did, much appreciated. Return to me when you have completed your quest, and I will have yours." "I'll be back soon." The hallway leading to the meeting room ahead was packed with more Guardians, but they parted for the Hunter without realizing it. The man commanded a sort of presence even among them. Up ahead were three Guardians, probably the heads of each class, and the Hunter was taking them to the Human woman, a Warlock, that must have been Ikora.

"Need a diagnosis on a child if you have a moment. Found a group of survivors and the child among them had a fever. I gave him what little I had left, but he's still a little weak." Ikora's lips curved up in a smile. "This savior complex of yours might be the death of you at this rate. This makes fourteen groups doesn't it? Always so busy during the time of our festivals." She didn't wait for an answer, and he didn't give one, while she inspected Matthew.

"He seems to be fine, just needs some rest. I can't imagine the trip here, before your intervention, was very relaxing. Take him to the medical wing and give him a bed. If one of them wishes to stay with him, then I can make arrangements once he's settled in." "Thanks Ikora." That smile returned. "You're quite welcome, especially after the book you gave me. Happy Crimson Days." "Happy Crimson Days." The Hunter motioned for them to follow, but Luna stayed behind long enough to give a small curtsey to Ikora.

The medical wing turned out to be the space above them; a smaller courtyard overlooking the City, with plenty of rooms on both sides. Some were empty, some weren't, but the Hunter led them to a small room, closest to the balcony, and Luna discovered why as she entered it. This one had a window that gave them a chance to gaze out into the sky, or to the lands below. "A room should always have a view." Matthew was tucked in one of the beds.

"I'll let you two take over from here. I've got to grab Eris's gift and book it before someone realizes I'm here. I'll come by and check on you in a little bit." He stepped out as another Guardian entered from the other side of the room. An Awoken female, her lavender skin looked like it sparkled, with gold eyes that peeked out from blonde hair she was busy putting into a ponytail. "Oh! I didn't know we had a new admittance." Strolling over to the bed, she beamed at them. "Welcome, I'm Bianca." A datapad appeared in her hand. "Who brought you here? We like to keep track, so the help can be acknowledged."

Johnathon shrugged. "We ain't real sure. He didn't give a name. Real tall guy, white and blue armor, a horned hel-"

"That son of a bitch!" Bianca took off for the door and nearly smashed through it, coming back through with such anger that even out of armor it was easy to understand she was a Titan. "Of course he sneaks in just to vanish before I can get my mitts on him. I never understand why he doesn't like gifts, but damn it!" Picking the datapad up off the floor where it dropped, she tapped something into it. "His name's Odin. If he comes back in, stall him. I'll get him one way or another." The rest of her stay, Bianca cooled down and treated them like family, explaining little bits and pieces about the Tower, of the Guardians, or what the City below was like. She left when the sun met the horizon.

The next time they saw Odin, he was sporting a white scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. At the inquisitive looks, he chuckled. "Eris's gift to me. I'm surprised it was this bright, but I won't complain. How's your brother?" "He's fine, sleeping currently." A hum and he eased around to look at Matthew, sleeping soundly. "Good, good." In the silence, Luna remembered Bianca's words. "Oh, sir, we never caught your name. I can't thank you properly."

It was like a jolt of lightning hit him, and he jerked back. "Ah! Apologies, I always forget in my haste." Spreading his arms to both sides, he bowed low at the waist. "Odin Volsky, at your service." Luna smiled. "My brother is Matthew, Johnathon was the older gentleman that came with us. He's down in the City with the others right now. And I'm Luna." "Ah, named for the beauty hanging in the sky? A good name."

She barely kept the warmth in her cheeks from showing. "Thank you. Have you found any others today?" The mirth in his voice lessened. "Unfortunately no. Which can be good; no signs of others, means no one is in trouble. But, there's always more out there." Something caught his attention; across the room, Bianca was standing with her fists on her hips. "Oh no." "Oh yes!" Both leapt at the same time. Odin for the door, Bianca for Odin, but he reached his target first. Unfortunately, multiple others were waiting for him. A handful of Hunters, Titans, Warlocks, even civilians, of all species, ages, and genders, surrounded him. Bianca smirked. "Thanks for stalling him. I know it's in his nature to give, not receive, but there's plenty of us that need to show our appreciation for him." Her voice thundered over the group. "Better not weasel your way out of this!" Luna giggled and shook her head. Life was finally looking up.


	2. Chapter 2: Downtime

Author's Note: So, this is where the real fun begins. There's a brief moment (you'll see it) where Ikora heals someone, another Guardian. The reason I chose this route instead of Ghosts doing all of the healing is because I like to believe Warlocks are far more attuned with manipulating Light than the other Classes, and are really good medics when push comes to shove. I also kind of shove a few bits around in the timeline of the lore, including a few events that happened before the game took place, cause come on, I couldn't resist. It's going to happen a lot, so I apologize if you're a stickler for that. Also, Vanguard deserve a chance to have some fun themselves yeah? (Oh, you'll see what I mean.) Enjoy!

A few weeks passed before Matthew was cleared with a clean bill of health. By then, Luna had found herself a job to keep busy; down in the meeting room, she actually ran errands for the Vanguard. It wasn't difficult, just involved a lot of running around, which she was far more used to than others. Luckily, Matthew ended up working for Eva Levante, the older woman happy to have a fresh pair of hands to help around the place.

Currently, she was standing at Cayde's side listening to him discuss orders with another Hunter. At the time she didn't realize why the Hunter's voice sounded familiar, until they chuckled and the air vibrated. It was Odin! "How bad is it?" Incoherent mumbling. "Right. Nothing you can't handle though. Get back in one piece, I'll ready your payment and have Ikora meet us there." Slightly louder mumbling. "Sorry, would you like me to have Bianca show up instead?" The resulting yell caused Cayde to pull back from his Ghost. "Ha! Fine, fine. I'll send the reward down there with Ikora."

He materialized a sniper rifle, jet-black with some kind of webbing around the receiver. "Here." Dumping it, with two pouches, one full of glimmer, the other some form of coins, into her arms. "Hey, Ikora, we have wounded incoming at the Hanger. Mind heading down there?" "Odin?" "Odin." She shook her head. "Come along Luna."

The Hanger was devoid of people; the usual were still here: Holliday, Dead Orbit's representative, and up in the room overlooking them was Future War Cult's representative. From the opening in the hangar came a ship that she recognized as Odin's, only because of the color scheme; it matched his armor. It landed near the staircase they were descending, and the two were met by the sight of Odin dropping from the ship with a gloved hand over his stomach.

Blood seeped from under it, along with multiple other wounds scattered over his arms, but still he stood tall. "Thanks for coming Ikora; the Fallen were far more active out in the Cosmodrome today. I took a few hits before cleaning them out. Hopefully now there'll be a little more space for transporting civilians into the City." Ikora placed a hand on his shoulder and Luna watched in awe as a light shone under them. Within seconds it was like the wounds had never existed. Odin rolled his shoulders and sighed. "So much better. Thank you. I'm going to wash my armor off. Hate blood on my armor."

Noticing Luna, he bent down to take the rifle and pouches from her. "Thank you kindly, Luna." Rustling her hair with his clean hand, he stepped past and vanished up the stairs. "One of these days, that fool is going to wind up in the medical wing." Ikora didn't know it at the time, but her words were true. Days later, Luna was taking a lunch break in the corner of the Vanguard meeting room when Zavala caught word of heavy Fallen activity. "Cayde, Odin was last in that area wasn't he? Can you get through to him and ask for a sitrep?" "Already on it, but the signal is poor. I'll put it on the table." An orb of light floated over the table, static playing back.

"Fallen are moving, and I mean fast, I think" some of his words were swallowed by the static, but they all caught the end of it. " Swarming the Gap!" Cursing, both Zavala and Cayde started calling for Guardians to get to the source of the transmission. Before orders could be followed, an explosion boomed off in the distance. "Shit. Zavala, hate me later, but I'm out!" Cayde sprinted for the stairs, barely getting in the courtyard before he transmatted himself into his awaiting ship.

Not even an hour later, Cayde was back, meeting Zavala's gaze. "A horde of Fallen moved into Twilight Gap. The Crucible wasn't active, so no trainees were harmed, but Odin took a hit. He ended up crashing their skiffs into each other and picked off the stragglers. Haven't seen him that angry in a while. Should have seen that Golden Gun in action!" Ikora placed both hands on the table. "Can you blame him? We all know what happened at the Gap." Luna's voice faintly reached their ears. "What's the Battle of the Gap?" All heads turned to her. "Ah, that's right. You weren't around for that. Ghost, cue it up."

A camera feed appeared on the table. It showed a massive army of Guardians, already battling an even larger army of Fallen. "We fought tooth and nail to hold back the Fallen from taking the Twilight Gap." Ikora looked to the feed with melancholy eyes. "Warlock fires burned bigger and brighter than ever before that night, yet we failed to keep the Light burning for our comrades." Cayde snorted. "The ammunition we spent covering everyone was so plentiful that even I lost count." Zavala's voice was surprisingly quiet. "For the first time in a long time, the wall of Titans fell to the Fallen. That night we saw Guardians become legends. And, we saw Guardians lose things far worse than their lives."

The camera feed panned out to show Luna the Guardians as the Vanguard pointed them out. "Saint-14" A Titan, bashing in the head of a Fallen Kell with his own head. "Osiris." A Warlock, flashing between battles at such speed, to Luna it was like Osiris had made doubles to fill the spaces. "And…" Zavala went silent. Ikora gazed at him, and Cayde finished his sentence. "Odin." The aforementioned Hunter was shown wielding a single hand cannon with another, smaller, Hunter at his side. The two gunned down Fallen left and right. "So many records are lost, including the names of his companions. He remembers them, I'm sure, but it's hard for us to remember every fallen comrade."

As if Cayde's voice had summoned them, a handful of Guardians took up positions with Odin and the Hunter. "What little we know, is that he went into battle with Bianca and four others; two Warlocks, the Hunter, and another Titan. When the retreat was sounded, Bianca showed up with Odin unconscious on her shoulder. She won't give the Speaker answers of what happened out there, and if Odin is asked, he gets real twitchy and his hands go for his guns. Not even their Ghosts will tell us anything. What we do know, is that at least one of them was made into a Gjallarhorn. We assume it to be the Titan. Last I saw, Bianca kept the weapon with her." The feed cut out. "Odin should be resting up in the medical wing. Why don't you go check up on him?"

Luna found him in the same room Matthew once occupied, laying in full armor on the exact same bed. Bianca stood at his side and gave her a smile. "Just carried him in here. It'll be a while before he wakes up." The Titan realized there was something bothering her when she sat down beside the bed without a word. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" "I want to know about the Battle of the Gap." Bianca's head jerked backwards. "The Battle of the Gap? Why would you want to…" Her eyes landed on Odin. "You were in the room when he called it in. The Vanguard told you about it?" "Some. A brief video of the combat, names here and there. I saw a few seconds of your Fireteam."

An overwhelming sadness swam in Bianca's eyes. " Our second Fireteam. The last time all of us stood together...Saw us in action and wanted to know what happened?" That familiar heat rose to her cheeks. "There's so little I know about the man that saved my brother." Moving a chair beside her, Bianca took a seat and held out her hand, palm up. "The audio and video is corrupted at points, so I apologize ahead of time. Cue up the Battle of the Gap." Again an orb revealed to her the sights, and sounds, of the battle. This time it was centered around Bianca, and by extension, Odin. "I need cover!" Static, in place of a name, "get to the center, launch a salvo of rockets!"

The voice was clearly Odin's, but she didn't know who he was ordering to attack. "We didn't have an official leader, but Odin was our de facto leader when shit hit the fan." Her next words got cut off by the sight of the second Hunter enveloping themselves in Light, fire radiating off their body. The hand cannon gripped so tightly in their hands fired once, twice, thrice. "Shit, everyone, fall back! The line just broke!" Panic was setting into Odin's voice now. Out of the sight of Bianca's Ghost came an explosion, static replacing the view. Sound on the other hand, was still going strong. "Salei, grab Ayela! Bianca, Oru! We'll provide covering fire!" The rapid staccato of gunfire overwhelmed his voice.

When the static cleared, Luna saw Bianca cradling the broken form of a Titan. "Oru was the only one whose body we recovered, but that was later." Odin's voice cut through, a hand clamping onto Bianca's wrist. "We have to move! Ayela is burning herself out to buy us time!" Looking up, Bianca's camera caught a Warlock, Ayela, shining as bright as the sun itself. "Ayela lit a fire that could be seen from orbit. The last fire to rage from her, for Salei." Right on cue. Salei's name came through the feed. "Salei, get down! SALEI!" The second Warlock dove behind cover, but only long enough to draw in their own Light. "Go. If she goes down, I go down."

Salei rose off the ground as lightning flew towards the enemy. The two Warlocks fell together, Arc and Solar mixing into one. "Bianca, take my Heavy Ammo, make a hole for us. W-" a burst of static trailed into silence. "That's all there is. The rest is corrupted. After Salei and Ayela fell in battle, the three of us pulled back in an attempt to evacuate. In the end it was only Odin and I, and only because I carried him out of the battle."

Bianca stood and ran both hands down her sides to smooth out her clothing. "Any other questions, before I get back to my work?" "What happened to the other Hunter?" Bianca's hands curled up into fists. "That's...That's something I can't answer right now." The Titan swept from the room, leaving a wake of grief behind her; clearly, the Battle of the Gap was still a touchy subject, though from bits and pieces of conversation, it had taken place countless years ago. For now, Luna turned to Odin's still form.

He jerked, sitting up like she had commanded him to just by eyeing him. "Damn. I didn't think they'd bring me here." Noticing Luna at his side, he spun to dangle his legs over the side of the bed. "Pardon the language." Luna smiled. "Don't worry about it, Johnathon's let loose worse than that before." "It's an old man thing. We slip up way too often." "We huh? Didn't know you were an old man." Odin's bones could be heard popping as he stretched. "Proof enough for ya?" "Wouldn't know it, the way you move." "Young body, old mind. I've been around for a while. Not quite as old as some Guardians."

A chuckle rolled from his throat. "Like someone I knew liked to say, I'm aged like a fine wine." A knock at the door announced Zavala's entrance, the large Titan twisting to fit through the door frame. "Good to see you up. If you're able, the Vanguard have a mission for you." "No offense, but why are you here instead of Cayde? Usually I only get my missions through him." "Because you'll be part of a Fireteam. Two of my Titans require a third, more experienced Guardian. You were the best option." "Fair enough. Where are we off to?" "The Hellmouth." There was an subtle wince from Odin. "Right. I'll meet them in Archer's Line. Luna, give Bianca my thanks." Throwing his scarf around his neck, Odin marched from the room.


	3. Chapter 3: Voyage to the Moon

A pair of Titans stood tall at the edge of the Hellmouth, peering into the depths below. The one to the left wore all black, armor completely smooth with a slit on the helmet to see through. The one on the right was their polar opposite; spikes all over their armor, and a bright shade of pink. The one on the right nudged a pebble over the edge.

"Who do you think Zavala is pairing us with?" Shockingly, it was a male Titan, the one on the left's feminine voice faintly responding. "Another Titan obviously. He knows we don't work with any others." They weren't but a few years old, this trip the second one to the Moon for them. More trips had been planned, but the Vanguard, or specifically Zavala, announced that until they got over their 'disdain' for other Classes, they'd be grounded to Earth.

That was a few months ago. A matter of hours ago, Zavala came through with the announcement; they'd be going to the Moon, into the Hellmouth no less, with a third member. From what they had heard, it had to be one of the famous Titans. After all, he'd specifically stated they were old enough to be a survivor from Twilight Gap's original fight, one of the ones on the front line near the end. It screamed 'Titan'. "All I know is, Zavalla told us to mind our manners. How often do we hear respect in his voice?"

"What are you two doing here?" A figure rose from over the ridgeline. To them, the lanky Hunter, Odin, looked frail. "Waiting for a friend. Buzz off Hunter." Odin's head tilted to the side. "Right. A friend. Not a third Fireteam member, by order of Zavala?" The way the Titans stiffened, he knew he was right. "You? You're our third member? Bullshit!" The pink Titan crossed his arms, spitting out his words like venom.

Odin mimicked the pose. "You must be Yadra, the Striker. Quick to lash out, like Arc. That makes you," he motioned to the other Titan, "Uier, the Defender. Pleasure to meet you both." Both scoffed. Obviously there was no respect for him. "Try to keep up, Hunter." They marched off, descending into the pit without looking back to see if he was following. "Of course. Thanks Zavala."

Catching up wasn't a problem for him, the current issue was they stomped loud enough to draw out Hive in every room they entered. Both used Solar shotguns, the light almost blinding them with how often they exploded their enemies, Thralls and Acolytes alike. As the Fireteam came out on a lower level of the rings that made up the Hellmouth, Odin spoke up. "Is there a goal in all of this, or are you two simply patrolling?" When he received no answer, Odin tapped the side of his helmet. "If Zavala was asking me of all people to come with you, that implies he wants you tested." In the silence left behind, he continued. "If that's the case, it can only be one of two things. A combat test, which I hiiiighly doubt is the case, or a social test. I'm leaning towards the latter for very obvious reasons. So tell me, what happened? Get treated poorly by other people? Discrimination for being a certain race? No, that can't be right. You interact fine with other races, but only the Titans. Implying that you have an issue with Warlocks and Hunters."

"Quit your fucking babbling, Hunter, and focus on fighting." The venom was still strong in Yadra's voice. "Hard to do when you've blasted all of the enemies. I can't even count the amount of shells I've stepped over in the past five rooms alone." Uier's head barely moved, but he recognized the side-to-side motion; she was less hateful, but still viewed him as useless.

"Look, if the two of you want to kill everything, that's fine by me, but if I'm not going to be fighting, then I'm going to be doing my job as a Hunter and observing my surroundings. Which includes you two. Save enemies for me, or start talking." Uier cut in ahead of Yadra's potential response. "You stay out of our business, and just stand back Hunter. Just because you're a survivor of the Gap, doesn't mean you get to butt into our lives like-"

"Plus the counterattack."

Uier stared at him, the air surrounding her telling him she found his comment redundant. At least until he kept talking.

"And the Great Disaster before that, Burning Lakes before that, and the Six Fronts before that. Factions Wars, and the time before the founding of Guardians, included." "Yarda snorted. "Bullshit. There's no way someone like you survived all of-" "All of it, and then some. Being a Hunter, does not mean I'm weak. Just like being a Titan doesn't make you stupid, does it?"

That struck a nerve, if the fist coming towards his face said anything. Odin brushed it to the side with the back of his hand, using Yadra's momentum to throw him against the wall. "I've been reading up on you two while you were waist deep in Hive ash. The countless altercations you two started over petty shit, I'm not surprised Zavala called me out here. I understand that it was because you were discriminated against by other Classes for being Titans, that they saw you as 'animals' that were too stupid to do anything other than fight, but that was a handful of people, and you have years ahead of you to realize that not everyone is like that, so stop being hypocrites."

Yadra sputtered. "Hypocrites?! How dare yo-" Odin crouched down in front of him, wary of Uier, who had raised her shotgun at him but kept her finger off the trigger. "The first words out of your mouth when I showed up, were 'buzz off, Hunter'. Followed by disbelief that I would dare tell you I was your third Fireteam member. Every sentence that followed was filled with hate, and mention of my Class. You didn't even bother asking for my name before you threw me into the same category as the Hunters and Warlocks that ridiculed you."

His train of thought broke as a roar echoed through the ring, followed by an even louder one. Odin's head twisted almost unnaturally far. "They shouldn't be this close to the surface. Not here." Yanking Yadra to his feet, he made a circular motion with his finger. "Tighten up. If I'm right, we're not getting back out without a fight." Uier pumped her shotgun and lifted it to her shoulder. "We aren't leaving so soon, we haven't amassed enough kills to earn a proper reward."

"Don't care. You heard those roars, didn't you? The big guns are awake, and I'm not letting you two get into a fight with-" The roar shook the walls around them. Across the ring, they saw the large figure of an Ogre appear, followed by a larger than average Knight. The Titans had fought an Ogre the last time they came to the Moon, so they thought nothing of it, or the Knight, as they charged forward. "Yadra, Uier, get back!" The Ogre unleashed a torrent of energy from its eye, but Uier slammed down a Ward of Dawn that negated it, giving Yadra the chance to leap from the Ward, above the beam, and punch it.

A sickening crack! Sent the Ogre reeling. A follow-up strike from Uier let them fire both shotguns into its chest, watching it disintegrate. The Knight was to be next, but the pellets bounced off its shields. What happened next chilled Odin to the bone. A cannon wasn't raised, but a sword, one that absorbed the surrounding Light and sent both Titans flying; it had smashed the flat of its blade into them.

"Get back, it's a Swordbearer!" Uier was the first to stand between them, and caught the sight of the Swordbearer rushing at them.

With Yadra still down, the sight of it stumbling back under a sudden volley of gunfire shocked her, until she remembered Odin's presence. Five thundering shots from his sniper rifle, Arc damage crackling over the Knight to break its shields, followed by countless rounds from his hand cannon. Too stunned to do anything, Uier could only watch the sword drop as its fingers turned to ash. Odin rushed forward to catch it, and pierced it clean through the Knight's throat.

It gave one last gurgle before it fell to its knees, and collapsed. "You two alright?" Yadra's voice came from behind her. "What the hell was that thing? I've never seen a Knight with a sword that strong."

"Because you're used to normal Knights, or the heavily armored ones. That was a Swordbearer, Crota's Elite. There used to be a lot of them back in the day, but the Great Disaster cut some of their numbers. Now they don't tend to come this far up out of the pit. Yet this one was accompanied by an Ogre….Strange. Come on, let's get you two back to the surface, we'll cut it short here. I have to report this to the Vanguard." Odin ushered them back towards the stairs, guarding their six to ensure their safe return to the surface. Even when they made it, he kept an eye out until the two of them were aboard their respective ships and on their way to the Tower before he did the same.


	4. Chapter 4: Rumble in the Jungle

"If there's activity on the Moon, we'll have our scouts check out the area. Thank you Odin."

He waved away Zavala's thanks and stepped back. "I did what anyone was expected to do. I don't want another foray into the Moon like before."

Cayde leaned on the table on his elbow, his version of a grin on his face. "Now that you're back though...How would you like to make some Glimmer for us? And by us, I mean you and me." Odin could feel his own grin forming. "You made a bet on the Crucible again didn't you?"

"You know it. Shaxx is sending his best into a rumble, and I'm sending mine. I even bumped up the ante; he gets five choices, I get one. If any of his five make it in first place, he wins." "Only five? Too easy. What are the conditions?" Cayde motioned to Odin's hips. "Primaries, melees, and Supers only." The way Odin's shoulders rolled, Ikora could almost visualize his eyes rolling. "Seriously, too easy. I'll head out now, no sense in making them wait." As he walked away, Ikora looked to Zavala. "Are we going to-" Zavala brought his Ghost out. "Close the halls, we're taking a twenty minute break."

Luna entered the medical wing to find Matthew; her brother was coming here more and more often during breaks or after his job with Eva was over. He didn't say anything to her, but she was sure he'd developed a crush on Bianca. If she noticed, she didn't say anything yet. The Titan was surprisingly giddy when she walked in, a fire in her eyes. "Luna! Just in time! Your brother and I were about to go watch a Crucible match." "A Crucible match? Is that why you look so excited?" "No, I'm excited because it's one of Cayde's famous bets!" She placed a hand on their lower backs to usher them from the room. Matthew gazed up at her. "What do you mean?"

The glee in Bianca's voice was far from contained in the way her body shook. "Cayde makes bets all the time on Crucible matches, but every so often he throws out a wild card of his; Odin. He's getting Odin to fight a in a Rumble match! Six Guardians dropped on a map, all aiming for first place. It's gonna be great!" They made it out into the plaza and Bianca leaned over the railing to shout down towards the meeting room. "Eris, you hear about the match?" The familiar hiss came back. "Yes." "You coming?!" Silence. "...Yes. Save me a seat." "Will do!"

Bianca managed to acquire a row of seats next to the Vanguard, seating Luna next to Cayde, Matthew next to her, Bianca beside him, and leaving the aisle seat for Eris when she arrived, so she could leave just as easily. Massive screens floated around the makeshift theater, some being projected, and Cayde snickered; the match started, three Titans, a Warlock, and another Hunter dropping with Odin, all over the overgrown ruins.

"I love Rumbles on Asylum. Plenty of open spaces and close quarters to make everyone happy." Luna was in awe of the beauty of it, the illusion of peace shattered quickly by one of the Titans appearing on screen, just to have a single round break his shields and a knife pierce his helmet. The words 'Odin killed Teyu' flashed in the corner. Shaxx's voice boomed above them. "First Blood!" A flurry of bullets flew towards the direction the knife came from, but a trio of hand cannon rounds answered the volley.

Another kill for Odin. Hell broke loose after that, kills flashing left and right. The majority were Odin felling enemies, not one of them getting him yet. From the buildings came a Titan enveloped in Arc energy, leaping at the figure Luna recognized as Odin. The crowd went wild; they'd finally see him go down!

Much to their disbelief, Odin jumped towards him! His foot met the helmet of the Titan in mid-leap, propelling far enough to avoid the shockwave, and spun in midair to put a few rounds in the back of his skull. The other Guardians followed suit in the attempt to end his spree, but they met similar fates; a bullet, or knife, would end their lives before their Supers could land a hit. Luna turned to Bianca, confusion lining her face. "Why doesn't he use his own ability?"

Cayde interjected. "He's not one to use his Super unless it's a dire situation. Always been like that. Claimed it made him sloppy to rely on a supreme power that wasn't available when it was needed." "Someone is close to victory!" Luna's eyes returned to the screen and caught Odin in a standoff with the only Guardian not waiting on a respawn; the Titan he got First Blood on. As if by some unspoken agreement, both of them holstered their weapons and rushed forth. Fist met fist, and the Titan slid him back a foot, only to feel Odin's other fist smash into the bottom of his helmet. From the collective "Ooooo!" from around Luna, she knew it must hurt.

"Hey, Zavala, you ever seen Odin fight hand-to-hand?" "Hm. I don't believe I have, Cayde." The Exo practically giggled with joy. "Good!" The Guardians furiously traded blows, a feat not many non-Titans could achieve against enemy Titans, especially one that radiated with Arc like he did. Odin drew the knife from his chest and brushed aside his fist exactly like he'd done to Yadra, to give him the opening to drive the knife through the helmet and end the match. "Victory!"

Cayde smirked. "Man, Shaxx is gonna be pissed. Can't wait to get my payment!" Matthew was bouncing in his seat, amazed by the strength of the man who saved him. "That was awesome!" Bianca howled in laughter. "I told you!" As Odin carefully wiped the bloody knife on the grass, Luna was silent. Once more she found herself asking, who was this man?


	5. Chapter 5: Forgotten Times

**Author's Note: I apologize for this chapter and the last. For whatever reason, it messes up newly added chapters when I first upload them and I forgot to check them over. I've replaced the ones with the problems, so hopefully they're fine now. Enjoy**

Luna was off for the first time in months since her arrival to the Tower, and used it to make a trip down to the City to properly tour it. Naturally, Matthew stayed behind to 'see if Bianca needed help'. Not that she minded it, Bianca was the best person for him to stick around after all. She treated him well, gave him anything to make him happy, and said nothing to discourage his dreams.

So many civilians had shops of their own here, plenty of Guardians spending hard earned Glimmer to help them out, but the sheer magnitude of the stalls left her stunned. The Tower only held a few vendors, the number of them down here felt strange. So lost in her thoughts, the bustling crowd around her was drowned out, along with the crew of workers transporting materials. Arms scooped up the unsuspecting teenager, lifting her from the pathway of the speeding vehicle.

"A young girl like you shouldn't be down here alone. Never know what might happen."

Looking up, Luna stared into a glowing red slit in the helmet only inches from her face. It was a Titan that easily seemed far more built than Bianca, the obviously masculine figure's armor a pitch black, with a wave of dark red that looked more like a stain than a shader. A Ghost the same odd shade of red hovered over his shoulder. Realizing she was staring, she took a step back and dropped her gaze.

"T-Thank you, I didn't hear them coming."

"No problem. Try to stay out of trouble."

Off loped the nameless Titan before she could say anything else. In her peripheral vision she witnessed Johnathon entering one of the numerous bars and decided to follow him in. It was only natural for her to ease through the crowd inside; she didn't command the same aura Odin did, but living in the wilds taught her a few tricks. Luckily, the only real law when it came to alcohol was to not let children have it. At eighteen, she was old enough to be allowed here. Which allowed her to find a seat next to Johnathon. "What are you doin' here Luna?"

She wrinkled her nose at the faint stench, the older man reeking of beer. "I wanted to see how you were doing. Haven't you already had plenty to drink?" "Bah, can never have enough." Can't beat 'em? Join 'em. Luna paid for a beer of her own. The first sip made her wish to throw it across the room in disgust; how did Johnathon drink this?! Sucking it up, she downed most of it in one go. The rest would be 'savored'.

That had been the plan at least. Johnathon convinced her to chug it, leading into a competition of sorts between them. In the end, Johnathon was out cold, and Luna couldn't even get up from the stool. Someone she didn't recognize came to her side, mumbling something about getting her to a place to relax.

Alarm bells rang in her mind. They were already moving her to the door and out to the street, heading the opposite direction from the Tower. No, no, this wasn't right! The danger was screeching alarms in her mind, but the beer dulled her body. The only thing she could do was lash out, catching her kidnapper in the throat. Next thing she knew she was in the dirt, but it was better than in the arms of a stranger, who soon would recover from the weak strike.

Pushing her body up she gave it her all to run only a few yards. That was when hands clamped onto her wrists, but vanished just as fast. In her drunken stupor, the blurry image of the red and black Titan came into view. "Can't look away from you for a second huh?" He lifted her into his arms, much like Odin had done for Matthew. "Let's get you to the Tower. They'll keep an eye on you." The rest was a haze. The only thing she caught, was the sound of a familiar chuckle, then a comforting warmth.

The next morning she propped herself up with one hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose with the other. "Fuuuck. I'm going to hit Johnathon when I see him." Tightening the blanket around her body, she winced at the light seeping through the nearby window as she plodded towards the door. It wasn't until she came out of the room, and walked to the kitchen a few steps away, that she realized something; this wasn't her tiny apartment! Familiar voices alleviated the fears whispering in the recess of her mind.

"How's Bianca doing since I left? I know I've been on Mercury for a while, did I miss much?"

"Eh, not really. Bianca's fine, albeit a little razzled thanks to the constant influx of patients in the medical wing. They cornered me during Crimson Days, and Cayde used me as part of a bet against Shaxx."

"I keep telling you to just buck up and face them during the holidays."

"I'm sorry, this coming from the man that leapt off the tower instead of facing his own pack of gift givers?"

"It was one time!"

"And I keep saying bullshit!" Luna peeked around the corner of the kitchen and into the small living room. A couch, a few chairs, a small table, and a cabinet made up the room, with Odin sitting in one of the chairs, and the Titan she met last night across from him in another one. "Oh, Luna, good morning. How did you sleep?"

"I-I slept great."

He motioned to the Titan across from him. "He brought you to the Tower last night and stumbled across me. We decided you could use a good rest, so we brought you to Bianca's apartment for the night." Bianca must have good standing to receive a nice apartment like this.

"Bianca's apartment?" "Technically Bianca's and mine, from our days as a Fireteam, but I don't rest here that often. I spend more time in the wilds than on the Tower most days, and Bianca sleeps in the medical wing more often than not."

The Titan chuckled. "One of the few Fireteams permitted to stay on the Tower, and you don't even use the apartment."

"Just because I don't sleep here, doesn't mean I don't use it! All my stuff is stored away in my room. Where else am I going to keep the things I own?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The Titan raised his armored hand to her. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Dan Merris. It's a pleasure to meet you." "I'm Luna. Nice to meet you." His attention left her for Odin. "Mind if I crash here for a while? I'll be sticking close by to do work for Zavala."

"Not like I care, and I imagine Bianca will welcome having another Titan around."

Dan rose from his seat and surprised Luna by pressing a button on the bottom of his helmet. A hiss of air echoed in the room. Off came the helmet, and the first thing she noticed was how pale he was. The second? The dark bags under his eyes. Running his fingers through his blood red hair, flakes of ash scattered in their wake. "Good, cause I need a shower before I do anything else. Been in the forge so long I've got ash in all the worst places."

He lumbered down the hall and Luna watched him go. "By the way, I informed Matthew of your location so he didn't worry about you. Couldn't tell if he understood what I was saying though. What, with the way he was too busy staring at Bianca." It brought a smile to her face.

"She's the center of his world right now. I'm a little concerned of what'll happen if he becomes obsessed with her."

"Ha. Don't worry about that. Bianca can let him down easy if something happens, and she'd never hurt him if she could help it." The sudden movement of Odin rising out of the chair made her jump. "Heh, must not be fully awake. I'll get you some food and drink. You're probably famished after a night of debauchery." Heat rose to her cheeks. "I-It wasn't like that!"

Odin busied himself in the kitchen while she took a seat at the counter. The unmistakable sound of a knife on a whetstone rang in her ears. "I'm no chef but I can make a killer omelette." Soon the sizzle, then the smell, of bacon reached her. Real bacon was a limited commodity in the world since livestock numbers had dwindled. Every so often their numbers swelled if trackers were successful but it didn't happen often.

The knife was a blur, the other hand cracking eggs into the frying pan. It was like Odin was putting on a show for her, hands both working independently to cut, stir, and fry everything until minutes later he put the plate in front of her with a knife and fork. It was then that she realized he was still wearing his gloves; did he never take them off?

Without thinking, Luna reached out and lightly rested her fingers on the back of them. The speed at which he jerked away nearly caused her to jump up. For the briefest heartbeat Odin shrunk away like a child first experiencing the sensation of fire. A second later, he rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "Sorry about that. I don't like my hands to be touched." The silence afterwards was awkward. It was broken by Odin shuffling from the room. "I should check in with Cayde, see if there's work to be done. Enjoy your breakfast." Then he was gone.

She felt bad for causing him obvious distress. One way, or another, she'd have to apologize. For now, she focused on the incredible omelette in front of her. "Where'd he disappear to? Thought he'd stick around to chat a bit more."

Out of armor, Dan was far less imposing. He was still broad shouldered and outweighed the girl by quite the margin, but without the armor he looked more...feeble with his sickly complexion. Clad in a casual outfit, he needed only to see the few bites left of her omelette to come to a conclusion. "Touched his hands?"

Nod.

"Don't hurt yourself overthinking it. Ain't your fault you didn't know about it. The man's got a hair trigger with those things." Dan plucked a piece of bacon from the plate by the stove and got a satisfying crunch out of it. "He'll be around to apologize soon. Probably. I've got an appointment to keep, so I'm out, but Bianca should be swinging by with some clothes for you, so you can shower up before work. Have a good day."

"Dan!"

Bianca's arms wrapped around him from behind and lifted him in a bear hug! "Down Bianca." She dropped him onto his feet with a huff. He returned the hug with one of his own, and smiled down at her. "We'll have to catch up later. Maybe over lunch with Odin. For now, I've gotta get to Zavalla and report in." He pat her on the shoulder and squeezed past her, and Matthew, to trot away.

"Sorry we're late. I ran into Odin down the hall and wanted to ask him a few things. How'd you sleep?"

"Great. The bed here was like sleeping on a cloud."

Bianca giggled. "I know, right? Best mattresses in the solar system. Plus, hardly used! Its owner tended to sneak over into another bed after all." Not wanting to pry any further, regardless of her curiosity, she nodded. Bianca guided Matthew over to her, smiling down at him to signal for the boy to offer Luna a bag of her clothes.

"I picked them out, sorry if they're not what you wanted to wear today." "It's okay, thank you Bianca. And thank you Matthew." She planted a kiss on her brother's forehead and earned a beaming smile. "I'll hop in the shower and get ready for work. Meet you for lunch Matty?"

"Yes!" Matthew shot off to get to work; a busy mind passes the time.

The Awoken Titan was next to go, Luna left to put her dirty plate in the sink, and find the bathroom. Dan apparently left the door open for her to find it, and even set out different products. They were in small containers, but tiny labels listed what they were. Multiple different soaps, but the smell of strawberries wafted to her nostrils from one container in particular. Remembering work looming over her sent her scurrying to hop in the shower.

Half an hour later, Luna bounded through the Tower halls to get an important package to the Speaker. The man was as mysterious as he was remarkable. Up the winding stairs she climbed, to discover him waiting for her. "Thank you my child." The air warmed up as he accepted the package. "The Vanguard have a hard worker in their ranks, hm?" It was impossible not to smile in response.

"All good deeds are rewarded in time. Even small ones, such as this. Give the Vanguard my best." When she walked away, she could have sworn she felt his eyes on her the entire way down.

During her lunch break she went upstairs to the medical wing to meet with Matthew and Bianca for lunch, and found the former asleep, and the latter reading from her tablet. "Hey Luna, pop a squat. Matthew wore himself out helping Eva it seems."

"It's okay, he probably needs the sleep. What'cha reading?"

Bianca looked back to her tablet with a sigh. "Odin's latest medical report. Gave him a check-up earlier when I saw him getting all twitchy." Musing over it, she didn't notice the wince from Luna. "Does he get twitchy a lot? The Vanguard mentioned it before."

"Eh, kinda. He gets tremors in his hands when they're idle, or when he's stressed. A result of the Battle of the Gap."

"Was he wounded?"

Bianca looked up at her, and Luna swore the air between them froze. Neither breathed until Bianca released a low sigh. "I know the way you look at Odin; you've got a thing for him. A little too young for the old man, but I'm not going to stop you. You need to know this before anything, so I'm going to show you something you have to swear not to tell a soul. Not even the Vanguard. Promise?" "Y-Yes! I promise!" The Ghost hovered in Bianca's hand. "The Vanguard don't know about the severity of his condition. If they did, they'd retire him in a heartbeat. Resume play of the Gap."

The feed showed Bianca take a hit from a Wire Rifle and fly backwards, body going still.

"I'm ashamed to say I was knocked out for this part. If I'd been awake, I might have been able to keep him from getting hurt."

The Hunters stood side-by-side, hand cannons blasting away Fallen. Odin drew a rocket launcher to eliminate a Captain but the moment its body flew away, a Wire Rifle pierced the unknown Hunter's throat! Tossing aside the spent launcher, Odin caught her body and drew his hand cannon with the free hand. "Come on you bastards!" The words were almost drowned out by a second shot, that cracked the Ghost working to repair the Hunter.

It landed in the dirt next to them. Whatever transpired next between the dying Hunter and Odin was missed, but Luna finally recognized the Hunter as a woman; a woman Odin clearly cared for.

Snatching the Hunter's hand cannon from the dirt it landed in, Solar energy coursed down both his arms, into the weapons.

"Watching this later, it was the first time I saw a Gunslinger use two Golden Guns at once."

Odin fired more times than she could remember, but Fallen kept coming. His own Ghost lifted the wounded Ghost and followed in the cover of his helmet, while he covered his retreat towards Bianca.

A blast struck Odin, the resulting explosion shattered the left side of his helmet and sent him sprawling.

Bianca rose first between the two, rushing for Odin.

"I got him on my shoulder and ran for the others. It wasn't until later that I got a look at his hands. Turns out, using two Golden Guns for an extended time caused the Solar energy to backlash. The nerves on his hands are burnt, there's scarring on them, and though he claims otherwise, I'm ninety-five percent sure there's chronic pain."

Bianca pinched the bridge of her nose. "I owe him for keeping the Fallen back long enough for me to wake up, and hightail it out of there, so I've limited the Vanguard's knowledge of the damage to his hands. Damage of that caliber is a risk; it can throw off his aim, or makes him liable to lose control of his energy in rough situations. So I mean it when I say, they can never know what happened during the Battle."

"Aren't Ghosts capable of healing that kind of stuff?" To her surprise, it was Bianca's Ghost that answered. "We were made by the Traveler, but we are not Gods. If a wound is left untouched for too long it will succumb to Darkness. I kept an eye on Bianca, unable to help Odin at the time, and his Ghost was busy repairing its fallen comrade. Many 'what ifs' are involved here. There's only so much that can be done. Even we have our limits."


End file.
